The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-03-17
TANNER oUTDoNE.
Starving for Sixty Years and Crow
ing Fat on It-An Appetite Cost
ing Almost TWO Cents
Week to Satisfy.


Week to Satisfy.
Mrs. Phoebe Carman, of Pearsall's,
has nearly solved the problem that
many gentleman of more leisure than
means have been trying to fathom since
the beginning of the world.
And that problem Is how to live
without eating!
The discoverer of mode of living
without food would, it is safe to say,
create more or less of Il sensation
among the philosophers of the day, as
well as among the butchers and bakers,
and yet Mrs. Carman seems to come
pretty Lear to it.
The unfortunate part of it is. howev-
er. that she does not know how she
does it. She simply does it.
Pearsalrs, in the summer season. is
situated not very far from Long beach,
within the domain of the Long Island
railroad
In the winter it is enough to say that
PearsalPs is situated on Long Island.
Nobody will care to dispute it.
| About mile and half Oong Island
measurement from the depot at Pear
sails, and nearly within sight of the
salt water, stands on road running
picturesque through vista of cabbage
and turnip fields bright pea-green cot
tage, with chocolate trimmings. 1t is
on slightly rising ground. and if the pc
destrian is careful he will not sink in
the mud higher than his ankles in
crossing the road to reach the gate.
Ask any native of that section where
Mrs. Phoebe Carman lives and he will
take YOU to the side of the road, exam
inc your face critically for the intelli-
gence you appear to lack. and then
point to the pea-green cottage with
chocolate trimmings, ''Miss Carman
lives thar"
And thar" she may be found, sure
enough, active in her household
duties, a hale, hearty housewife; a
grandmother who eats hundred times
more sparingly than her youngest
grandchild. The stranger may ask
almost any one thereabouts and the an
swer will invariably be that Mrs. Car
man is remarkably small eater. ="
Stories of her fastings are told in al
most every household and there are
scores of witnesses to her remarkable
method who have known her for many
years. Naturally enough the stranger
being told that in the pea-green cottage
there lives woman of mature years
who frequently goes days without food
of any kind, says he does not believe
it.
''She eats on the sly, of course is
the reply to the statement.
Mrs. Carman is a large-framed,
deshy woman, weighing probably two
hundred pounds. Her arms are shape
ly, and despite her Ga years of Fife and
the cares of large family she still re-
Gains much of the sprightliness of
youth. When she was first married
she says her husband could span her
waist with his two hands. His arm Is
aot long enough now. She is about
The average height. Her features are
regular, her eyes dark brown, and
her mouth small.
She has had eight children. Five OF
them are living now, and all married,
with children of their own. except her
son Walter E. Carman. who lives at
home with his parents. He is in the
oyster business and has his boats within
a mile and a half of his home. During
she twenty-seven years of his life he
never saw his mother eat anything.
Inever saw my mother eat a mouth
lul in my life," said this young man;
and have watched her at odd times
and between meals to see if she DID,"
do you mean that literally o. he was
asked.
Eyes. I have seen her sit down to
The table once in a great while-it is
when we have company generally that
she does that-but she did not eat.
But you saw her idrinka''
ayes, have seen her take swallow
Df water or tea at times, but, as l said
aefore. | have never seen her take a
mouthful of food in my life, or at least
since I have been large enough to un-
derstand.
"How do you suppose she existss"
Il have given up the consideration
Of that question long ago. l would
not believe that a person could live
without eating more than she does If l
bad not seen it. cannot explain it.
do not attempt it, All know is that
It is So"
Mrs. Carman was quite willing to
tell what she knew about her own case.
And that is not much looking at it
from a scientific standpoint but its
practical results to the old gentleman's s
pocket are enormous.
LIT is said, Mrs, Carman, that you
are an exceptionally small eater.''
.'Fes. suppose am," she replied
quietly, smoothing down her apron
and crossing her hands in her lap in
good old Long Island style,
''But they say that you go two Or
three days without food"
Eyes. and longer than that. I fre-
quently go week without eating"
mot eating at aNe"
"Nothing at all"
WWhat do you drinke"
II take q swallow of water now and
again, and sometimes l may take a
little tea-about quarter of a cup"
with milk and sugarp"
mo milk. never drink milk.
Sometimes little sugar"
But yon do eat occasionally, of